Moving-picture screen.



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HARRY S. WALKER, OE CORVALLIS, OREGON, SSIGNOR, BY DIRECT ANI)v MESNEASSIGNMENTS, OF THREE-EIGHTHS TO JAMES R. CHAMBERS, OF CORVALLS, OBE-GON, AND ONE-FOURTH T0 LOTTIE A. REED, 0F M'EDFORD, OREGON.

Specification of Letters Patent.

MOVING-PICTURE SCREEN.

Application led November 27, 1912. Serial No. 733,821.

T0 all whom it may concern.'

Be it known that I, HARRY S. VALKER, a citizen of the United States,residing at Corvallis, in the county of Benton and State of Oregon, haveinvented a new and useful Moving-Picture Screen, of which the followingis a specification.

The invention relates to improvements in screens for ldisplaying movingpictures.

The object of the present invention is to improve the construction ofscreens fordisplaying moving pictures, and to provide a simple,inexpensive and efficient apparatus,

advantages thereof and without the injuri-A ous effect on the eyes andoptic nerves re sulting from the flashing of the lights in a darkenedroom or auditorium.

With these and other objects in view, the invent-ion consists in theconstruction` and novel combination of parts hereinafter fullydescribed, illustrated in the accompanying drawing, and po-inted out inthe claims hereto appended; it beingunderstood that vari ous changes inthe form,"proportion, size and minor details of construction, within thescope of the claims, may be resorted to without departing from thespirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

In the drawing Figure 1 is a perspective view of a stage equipped with amoving picture screen, constructed in accordance with this invention.Fig. 2 is a central vertical sectional view ofthe same. Fig. 3 is aVertical sectional view of a portion of the apparatus showing the innerflexible walls or lining partially elevated,

Like numerals of reference designate corresponding parts in. all thefigures of the drawing.

In the accompanying drawing in which is illustrated the preferredembodimentof the invention, 1 designates a flexible screen mounted upona spring actuated rol-ler 2, ex-

tending across the top portion of a stage 3 Patented Apr. 28, 1914.

at the back thereof adjacent' to the rear wall 4 of the same andsupported in suitable brackets 5 of the ordinary construction. rFhescreen, which is adapted to be raised and lowered in the same manner asan ordinary window shade. is designed to be provided with a. metallicpictureA receiving surface consisting of powdered aluminum applied overan opaque coating, which is first put on the screen. Gold bronze mayalso be employed and it has been found most advantageous in displayingold pictures. The ilexible screen may, however, be equipped with anyother suitable surface.

The screen is framed by a flexible rectangular inner lining constructedof black clothor other suitable material and constituting a lightabsorbing cabinet and consisting of a horizontal bottom portion 6,vertical side walls or portions 7 and a horizontal topV wall or portion8, which is preferably suitably secured at the top of the stage. Theblack inner lining is adapted to absorb reflected lights and throw ashadow on the screen, which with shaded lights will enable movingpictures to be exhibited in a lighted room. .This will prevent themisconduct which frequently occurs-in darkened rooms,

and will enable pictures to be enjoyed with proper position' in front ofthe screen by lower horizontal corner rods 9, provided at their innerends with project-ing points or spurs 10 adapted to be embedded in therear wall of the stage, whereby the rods 9 are detachably secured inposition. Any other suitable means, however, may be employed forfastening the rods at the corners of the flexible screen framing lining.When the horizontal rods are detached the flexible lining is adapted tobe raised out of the way to enable the stage to be used for vaudevilleor other purposes. The flexible lining is raised by ropes or cords 11,located at the outer faces of the side walls of the screen and passingover guide pulleys 12 and connected with the flexible lining at thelower ends of the vertical sides. The pulleys l2 are suitably mounted atthe top of the stage and any suitable means may be provided for securingthe cords or ropes to hold the flexible lining in its elevated position.When the cords or ropes are pulled to elevate the lining, the bottom andsides thereof are raised and are held at the upper portion of the stageout of the way. By this construction the screen and the lining may bemounted at any desired portion of a stage, and they will not interferewith the use of the same for other purposes.

In order to give the picture a perspective and increase the life likecharacter of the same, the inner flexible lining is equipped at theinner edge of its side walls 7 and top portion 8 with colored electriclights 13, -mounted on and carried by the flexible lining and equippedwith shades 14, constructed of sheet metal or other suitable materialand arranged t-.o prevent the light from being thrown upon the screen.The shade consists of a shell provided with an attaching collar 15,which clamps the electric lights at the base thereof. The shades for thelights, which illuminate the room or auditorium, may be of a similarconstruction but made on a larger scale. The colored electric lights atthe inner edges of the side walls of the flexible lining are carriedupwardly with the same when the lining is folded, and the glass lbulbsmay bemade of sullicient strength to prevent themfrom being easilybroken, or they may be equipped with guards of any ordinaryconstruction. This application is a continuation as to certain broadfeatures of the invention of my prior application, filed Jan. 21, 1910,Serial No. 539,353. i

What is claimed is 1. In an apparatus of the class described, thecombination with a stage, of an approximately rectangular screen havinga picture Loeaeia receiving surface and provided at the top with aroller and adapted to be rolled thereon to arrange it out of the way ofthe stage, a collapsible light absorbing lining composedof a relativelyfixed top portion, flexible side portions and a bottom portionconnecting the sides, means for dctachably securing the side and bottomportions in position, and means connected with the side and bottomportions for raising them simultaneously and together to the top of thestage when the screen is rolled up.

2. An apparatus of the class described including a rectangular screen, arectangular lining of light absorbing material located in advance of andextending around the screen and composed of a fixed top portion, and amovable bottom and side walls,I horizontal rods detachably secured inthe lower corners of the lining and holding the saine in position, andmeans connected with the lining for raising and lowering the same.

3. An `apparatus of the class described including a rectangular screen,a rectangular lining of light absorbing material located in advance ofand extending around the screen and composed of a fixed top portion, anda movable bottom and side Walls, means detachably connected with thelining at the bottom thereof for holding the same in'position, andhoisting means connected with the lining at the lower ends of the sidewalls thereof for raising and lowering the lining and for supporting thesame in an elevated position out of the way.

et. An apparatus of the class described including a screen having apicture receiving surface, a light absorbing lining located in advanceof the screen and extending around the same, colored lights arranged inintervals at thevinner portion of the lining, and shades interposedbetween the lights and the screen.

In testimony, that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have heretoaffixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

- HARRY S. VALKER.

Witnesses:

GEO. W. DENMAN, Enw. GELLA'rrY.

